Intermittent contacting of yarn with liquid in a narrow nip moving across rollers

ABSTRACT

A PROCESS FOR THE INTERMITTENT APPLICATION OF A LIQUID OR PASTE ALONG THE LENGTH OF A YARN WHEREIN THE YARN IS PASSED THROUGH A ZONE DEFINED BY THE TRAVERSING MOTION NORMAL TO THE YARN PATH OF AT LEAST ONE NIP FORMED BY THE SURFACE PORTION OF TWO CONTRA-ROTATING BODIES CAUSED TO TRAVERSE TO AND FRO IN A DIRECTION NORMAL TO THE PATH OF THE YARN IN THE ZONE.   D R A W I N G

June 29, 1971 c, COBB ETAL 3,589,854

INTERMITTENT CONTACTING 0F YARN WITH LIQUID IN A NARROW N P MOVING ACROSS ROLLERS Original Filed Nov. 2, 1966 lnocnlors Mam/v flaw/: U055 Attorney United States Patent Int. Cl. D06p 1/00 US. Cl. 814 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A process for the intermittent application of a liquid or paste along the length of a yarn wherein the yarn is passed through a zone defined by the traversing motion normal to the yarn path of at least one nip formed by the surface portions of two contra-rotating bodies caused to traverse to and fro in a direction normal to the path of the yarn in the zone.

This is a continuation of Ser. No. 591,549, filed Nov. 2, 1966 and now abandoned.

This invention relates to processes for the intermittent application of a liquid or paste along the length of a yarn and is especially concerned with the intermittent applica tion of a dyestuif or an agent for modifying the dyeing properties of the said yarn. These processes lead to yarns coloured differently, or capable of being coloured diiferently, over different portions of their length. The yarn to which one or more colours are applied locally, i.e. intermittently, may be white, that is undyed, or it may be coloured overall in some base shade, or comprise undyed and dyed components. The yarn may, for example, be intended for use in a loop-pile or cut-pile tufted carpet.

Processes currently in use for the intermittent application of, for example, a dyestuif to a yarn, have the disadvantage that accurate register of the colour on the yarn is difficult to achieve especially at high speeds and blurred effects are usually obtained. We have now found that the particular process of our invention, as hereinafter defined, substantially overcomes this disadvantage and enables perfect register to be obtained.

Accordingly therefore, the present invention provides a process for the application of a liquid or paste intermittently along the length of a yarn, wherein the yarn is taken from a supply thereof, forwarded to a zone defined by the reciprocating motion, (normal to the yarn path) of at least one nip formed by surface portions of two contrarotating bodies, caused to traverse to and fro in a direction normal to the yarn path in said zone,'the said liquid or paste applied intermittently to the yarn by the surface portions forming the nip when the yarn is engaged thereby and the yarn wound up, the forwarding speed of the yarn in the said zone being substantially the same as that of the peripheral speed of the surface portions forming the nip in the zone.

The liquid or paste to be applied to the yarn may comprise a dyestuif or pigment, or it may compirse an agent for modifying the dyeing characteristics of the yarn such as, for example, an acid-dye resist agent or a dye-assist agent.

The dyestuif or the agent for modifying the dyeing characteristics of the yarn, hereinafter referred to as the modifying agent may, after application to the yarn, be subjected to a heat treatment in order to fix it on the yarn and render it fast to washing. The heat treatment may be applied to the yarn in the form of a package but is preferably applied continuously to the yarn before it is wound Patented June 29, 1971 up into a package. Preferably the heat treatment comprises subjecting the yarn to the action of steam.

The process allows for the intermittent application of the liquid or paste to the yarn according to a predetermined pattern or randomly. In the context of the present invention the term random implies that the pattern of application of the liquid or paste to the yarn is not repeated for intervals of at least 1000 feet of process yarn.

The yarn to be treated may be an uncrimped, that is a flat yarn which may be twisted or untwisted or it may be a bulked yarn. The yarn may be of continuous filaments or staple fibre or it may be in the form of a tow. Where the liquid or paste is to be applied to a bulked yarn this yarn may, during the application of the liquid or paste, be placed under a tension sufiiciently great to temporarily remove the crimp from the yarn.

From another aspect the present invention provides a device for the intermittent application of a liquid or paste to a yarn comprising two contra-rotating bodies rotating at identical speeds, said bodies having a resilient surface portion or portions forming at least one nip, which nip describes a reciprocating motion normal to the path of the yarn, said surface portions describing a cylindrical surface around the axes of rotation of each body, and said device being in combination with means for forwarding the yarn to the device at the same speed as the peripheral speed of said surfaces, means for winding up the yarn, and means for applying the liquid or paste to the surface portions of the rotating bodies.

Preferably this device is used in combination with at least one, or more preferably two, different means for traversing the yarn to and fro across at least one nip formed by the surface portions of the contra-rotating bodies. One such traverse means may be located between the yarn supply and the device and another between the device and the yarn winding means.

Liquid or paste may conveniently be applied to the nip forming surface of one rotating body from a roller or from a train of rollers, the roller removed from the nip forming surfaces being in direct contact with the liquid or paste supply.

One convenient form of apparatus and process according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing yarn 1 is taken from a supply package 2 and passed through guides 3 and 4 to a traversing device 5. From the traversing device 5, the yarn passes to a pair of intengeared helically grooved rubber rollers 6 and 7, the upper roller 6 being a mirror image of the lower roller 7 and thence to a second traversing device 8 and finally to a cylinder 9 on which it is wound up in the form of a package 10. The helically grooved rubber rollers have surface portions 11 and 12 which form a series of nips across the rollers. The surface portions of the lower roller 7 are in contact with a train of plain rollers 13 and 14, the lower of which is partially immersed in a bath 15 containing the dyestuif 16.

The nipping surfaces may also, for example, be in the form of skewed elliptical cams, one being a mirror image of the other, in which case the nip or nips (if more than one pair of skewed cams is employed) will execute a reciprocatory motion.

The nip forming surface portions of the rotating mem bers need not be liquid or paste absorbent but they should preferably be resilient. Rubber and polyurethane are examples of suitable materials for use at the surface portions of the rotating bodies.

It is preferred that the rotating bodies be mounted on fixed axes and that the yarn only be moved in a direction normal to the path of travel of the yarn by the action of one or more traversing devices. Where a number of yarns are processed simultaneously they may be collectively traversed by a traversing reed or comb, from which the yarns pass in a side-by-side relationship at the required spacing.

The following examples illustrate, but do not limit, the process of the present application using the above described apparatus.

EXAMPLE 1 The inter-geared helically grooved rollers used in this example are made of hard rubber and mounted such that the grooved portions are in hard contact and perfect register. In this example the bath contains a solution of an acid-dye resist agent consisting of water, polyethylene glycol (average molecular weight 550) and an acid-dye resist agent in the ratio 3:9:1.

The speed of rotation of the rollers is adjusted so that the peripheral speed of the surface portions forming the nips is the same as the wind up speed of the yarn, in this instance 1000 feet per minute.

A 3605 denier 204 filament bulked nylon 66 yarn is taken from the supply package to the grooved rollers, a traversing motion being applied to the yarn by the traversing device 5 according to a programmed pattern, this pattern being randomised by the traversing action of the second traversing device 6, the yarn thus being caused to reciprocate across the nips formed by the grooved rollers in an essentially random manner. Since the dye-resist containing solution is only applied to the yarn when the latter passes between a pair of nipping surfaces, which because of the rotary movement of the rollers effectively traverse across the rollers a random application is achieved. The yarn is dried and wound up into a package.

Without further treatment the yarn is formed into a tufted carpet on a jute backing and dyed in a bath containing, per 100,000 parts of water, 2 parts Duranol Brilliant Blue N (CI Disperse Blue 3) and 12 parts Carbolan Fawn R (CI Acid Brown 49). The dyeing is carried out at a pH of 5, pH heing adpusted by the addition of acetic acid. The resultant carpet had a light blue background and random fawn-brown flecks.

EXAMPLE 2 In this example the 3605 denier 204 filament yarn used had a high amine end group content (90 microequivalents per gram of yarn compared with to for normal yarn) and was printed with the acid-dye resist containing solution as described in Example 1. The yarn was formed into a tufted carpet and dyed in a bath containing per 100,000 parts of water, 2 parts Dispersol Fast Yellow G (CI Disperse Yellow 3) and 12 parts Carbolan Fawn R (CI Acid Brown 49). The resultant carpet had a pleas ing appearance of chocolate-brown flecks on a clear yel low background.

It is clear to those skilled in the art, that a yarn may,

if desired, be subjected to a sequence of dye applications,

for example involving differently coloured dyestuffs. The yarn may also be post-dyed or over-dyed in say, hark form.

The yarn may have liquid or paste applied to it satisfactorily even when being forwarded at very high speeds, for example, forwarding speeds of up to 3000 ft./min. may be employed.

Where there exists a danger of splashing of liquor or paste from the surfaces of rapidly rotating bodies, screens may be provided.

What is claimed is:

1. A process for the intermittent application of a liquid or paste along the length of a yarn as the yarn moves longitudinally of itself along a selected path including the steps of:

passing said yarn longitudinally between two rollers having in engagement with each other surface portions narrower than the width of said rollers to define a nip between the engaging surface portions, ro-

tating said rollers in opposite directions, the contours of said rollers effecting upon rotation of said rollers a sufiicient traversing movement of the nip in a direction parallel to the axis of the rollers and transverse to the longitudinal movement of the yarn to intermittently move the nip into engagement with the yarn;

the longitudinal speed of the yarn between said rollers being the same as the peripheral speed of the said surface portions forming the nip;

applying liquid or paste to the periphery of at least one of the rollers to be applied to the yarn by the surface portions forming said nip when they engage the yarn, and

moving said yarn normal to its longitudinal path of travel back and forth across the traversing nip in a traversing motion which is different from the traversing motion of the nip.

2. A process as in claim 1 wherein said two rollers have helically grooved surfaces, said traversing nip being defined by the engagement of the surfaces which lie between the grooves and wherein the liquid or paste is applied to the last mentioned surfaces by rotating at least one of the rollers in contact with another roller the periphery of which carries the liquid or paste.

3. A process according to claim 1 wherein the yarn is subsequently heat treated.

4. A process according to claim 3 wherein the heat treatment comprises subjecting the yarn to the action of steam.

5. A process according to claim 4 wherein the yarn is subjected to the action of steam and is subsequently wound up.

6. A process according to claim 3 wherein the liquid or paste to be applied to the yarn contains a dyestuif or pigment.

7. A process according to claim 1 wherein the liquid or paste to be applied to the yarn contains an agent for modifying the dyeing characteristics of the said yarn.

8. A process according to claim 7 wherein the agent for modifying the dyeing characteristics of the yarn is an acid-dye resist.

9. A process according to claim 1 wherein the liquid or paste is applied to the yarn in random manner.

10. A process according to claim 1 wherein the liquid or paste to be applied to the yarn is taken up on the nip forming surfaces from a roller which is in continuous contact with the said nip forming surfaces.

11. A process according to claim 10 wherein the liquid or paste is taken up by the nip forming surfaces from one roller of a train of at least two contacting rollers, the roller remote from the nip forming surfaces being in direct contact with the liquid or paste supply.

12. A process according to claim 11 wherein the last mentioned roller is partially immersed in a bath containing a dye liquor.

13. A process according to claim 1 wherein the yarn is in the flat state.

14. A process according to claim 1 wherein the yarn is in the bulked state.

15. A process according to claim 14 wherein a tension is applied to the yarn to temporarily remove bulk from the yarn while the yarn is in the said zone.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS DONALD LEVY, Primary Examiner 

